My prayer

I said a prayer this morning. As I heard Lewie calling "Maaaa!    Maaaa!" from his crib and as Owen approached my room with wide eyes and bed head in his big T shirt, I knew I needed a good day. February has been long and gloomy, like a lot of Februarys are. Our whole family has been sick for weeks. I've been frustrated with my gross kitchen, that we haven't started construction on. I have felt cooped up with nowhere to go, and kids that dont have the energy to do much, except whine. I think Lewis got sick, started getting some molars, and hit the terrible twos all at the same moment. I have been in such a funk the last few days... more like a depression with a pounding headache at the end of every day.

Yesterday, the sun was shining! It was so rejuvenating and beautiful. We had a busy day with preschool, and cousins, and speech therapy, and even a high school basketball game in the evening. It felt so good to have a normal life again with weather that my body and soul needed desperately. 

So when I prayed this morning, I thanked Heavenly Father for a beautiful day yesterday. I repented for losing it with my kids way too often the last week or so. And I asked for some things. 

I asked to have the spirit in our home today.

I asked to be full of love.

I asked for perspective on all that I am blessed with. 

My prayer was answered. 

By a plumber. 

I knew we'd have workers in our basement today...we do often. When I opened the door in my pajamas  to see a kind old man with a big smile and the fresh smell of after shave. I was grateful to know, he wouldn't be playing loud music or be banging loud tools. He cheerfully said "sorry to bother you, I'm here for the bathroom". 

He went straight to the basement and I got back to wiping noses and changing diapers, and solving arguments, and sippy cups and bottles and blakies and movies and crayons and paper and messes everywhere. Then I heard the plumber singing. I went into the kitchen to hear a little better and he was singing How Great Thou Art (one of my favorite hymns) In a deep beautiful reverent voice. I stood still and listend to his words. "I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, The power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee how great Thou art."

I'm grateful for the spirit that was brought into our home by a plumber. 

For the patience I have today.

And my heart that is full of love for my fussy little fellas.

A picture taken when the boys were happy and healthy. 

Christmas 2012

Christmas seems like it was ages ago, now that we're counting down the days til Spring time. 

This next picture pretty much sums up our Christmas season. It was about 5:15 pm, exactly one week before Christmas and we were on our way to get a Christmas tree. The boys crashed. 

Because of our move, Our Christmas season was quick and exhausting but very happy. It included a beautiful tree in our nearly empty living room, a wonderful night down town at temple square, and our big Christmas eve festivities. 

 Christmas Eve is always such a full and happy day with so much family. We spent the afternoon at the Peters home with a nativity, a talent show, an amazing meal and a visit from Santa. Clay and Telisa made a surprise visit and the whole family was there! We are grateful for Grandma Kat and her HARD work on these celebrations. She is a hostess like i've never known before and has a talent for making each family member feel loved. 

                                                          A smooch from aunt Tristen

                                                                   Owen the shepherd

Flying with uncle Travis

The little boys, missing Redd.

All the cousins with Santa

Then, we went to the Bell's where the boys opened jammies and a gift from one another. We sang Christmas carols with Grandpa Ellertson on the Trombone and Grandma at the Piano. This has always been one of my favorite evenings of all the year. Since I was a little girl I have looked forward to the cozy night in my parents warm home, with the frosty windows and the crackling fire. My Grandparents bring such a sweet presence. Everyone is happy and full of love for each other. Singing those sacred hymns bring a testiment of Christ and his birth and his life like nothing else does.

Lately

We've been busy. It seems as though Treavor's life is a whirlwind of constant motion. He is from school, to work, to housework, to homework. I have been so impressed at the way he handles his CRAZY life and having sleepless nights(literally) and huge amounts of stress with work quotas and group projects. The last couple of weeks have been overwhelming with a business trip to las vegas and big work loads at both work and school. He never ceases to amaze me with his good atitude, always making time for his family.

Treavor and I spoke in our new ward. I spoke on God is merciful and Treavor's topic was God is just. It was such a good topic for us at this point in our life, and has really made me view daily life in a different way. I was grateful for the opportunity to think about the many, many ways God shows mercy to me.

One recent way that my family felt His mercy, was when my dad had a minor heart attack a few weeks ago.  He was shoveling snow and started feeling pain in his heart and left arm. He was taken to the hospital where tests were done and he got stints put in his artery. Although it was a little alarming when we heard the news, we were never too concerned, because my parents were staying so calm. I was so grateful when we heard that his body has a great "warning system". Other than feeling more tired than usual, he is healthy and back to normal. This experience made me think a lot about how blessed I am to have my dad in my life! It made me think about the human body, and how incredible it is. The way all our organs work together and the way that his body told him that he needed help is miraculous. It made me think that I take my body and health for grantid, and was inspiring to take better care of my beating  heart.

Lewis Lately:
Our little Grabby-crazy-gooey-lewie is still all of those things. He has started speech therapy with a sweet lady named Julie. She comes to our house twice a month. He is always ecstatic that someone has come to our home with a giant bag of toys and puzzles just to sing and play with him. It's so cute to watch him interact with her. He's already made a lot of progress and is experimenting with lots of words. This boy has energy! He is busy from sun up to sun down. He dances whenever he hears music and has such cute rhythm. He asks for music every time we're in the car by grunting and dancing. He eats anything, plays anything, waves to everyone...he is up for living life. He is at a fun stage, seeming so old, yet still a pudgy baby. It cracks me up that he will chew a piece of gum, chomping like a teenager for hours on end, and throw it away when he's done, but still has a teeny list of words he'll say.  He crashes hard at night and loves his bottle more than life itself.

Owen Lately

Owie boy is bright and inquisitive. He is loving school! He has been such a good brother. His squirmy little brother requires a LOT of patience, and most days owen has it. It has been incredible to watch him grow physically and mentally the last few months. Yesterday Treavor called him a smart cookie and Owen said "will you PLEASE stop calling me a cookie?!" Its a phrase he hears a lot, because we are constantly surprised at what he knows and remembers. He is an introvert in the biggest way and thrives off of Lewie's nap time, which is Owen's quiet time. He plays cars every day durring quiet time using Marley's round bed or a rug as the race track. I have been so impressed at how quickly and easily he got adjusted to our new home and neighborhood. He loves primary, and even went to play at a new friends house without any hesitation. His mind runs so fast and he has an imagination like i've never seen. 

 Marley Lately:
He got lost! It was my fault. A week ago, Treavor was at class. I let Marley out to go potty and totally forgot (our back yard isn't fenced off and Im not used to that). I made dinner, ate dinner, bathed the boys, put them down, cleaned up for a while and it wasn't til I was measuring fabric on the floor for some curtains I was making that I realized he should be right by my side. I had let him out 2 hours earlier! I immediately ran outside and started calling and whistling. I called my parents in a panic and they both came over in separate cars to search the neighborhood. He was gone. He didn't have a tag on because he got a new collar for Christmas and we hadn't replaced the faded phone number. Animal services was closed for the night and didn't open til 10:30 the next morning. It was such a sad night, with lots of tears shed by me and gram. We are nuts! My mom and I kept talking about how he's such a dumb animal that we love so much. when I called at 10:30 on the dot they said he was there! someone had called from our very street the night before. WHEW! such a relief. Gram went and picked him up for us and came back with a magnet that she had purchased that says "I'm a good dog, I just do bad things" we cracked up at the whole situation because this is SO not an animal family, but it was kind of rocking our world when he was missing. I should have a magnet that says "I'm a good owner, I just do bad things".